HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-03-11 Reading Housing Authority MinutesREADING HOUSING AUTHORITY
Minutes of the Regular Meeting March 11, 1980
(W
The members of the Reading Housing Authority met in regular session at',
7 :30 P.M. on Tuesday, March 11, 1980 at 22 Frank D. Tanner Drive, in the Town of
Reading, Massachusetts.
The meeting was called to order by the Chairman, Mr. White. Those memlpers
also present were Mr. Westra, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Dempster, forming a quorum. Mrs.
Pierce, the Executive Director, was also present.
First of the agenda, was a consultation with Mr. Rick Heym, Architect n
the Modernization Program. Mr. Heym presented his final draft of the Project
Manual and Plans for the Energy Conservation and Handicapped Access work projects
which are being funded under this Program. He also discussed his estimated time
schedule for bid openings, if all goes as planned. The dates suggested were April
4th for the Handicapped Access bids, and April 2nd for Filed Sub Bids, and the 9th
on General Bids for the Energy Conservation Project. Since the Handicapped job
should be less than $2,000, the Authority is allowed to advertise locally and ob-
tain at least three bids based on the plans and specifications drawn up for that
particular work project.
After a brief review and discussion of Mr. Heym's presentation, a
was made by Mr. Johnson and seconded by Mr. Dempster, and unanimously:
VOTED: To approve completed drawings and project manuals for Handic
Access and Energy Conservation Modernization work, as submitted, subject to t
final approval of the Executive Office of Communities and Development.
The Chairman thereupon declared said motion carried and said vote in effect, and
Mr. Heym left the meeting.
Returning to the regular order of business, a motion was made by Mr.
Johnson and seconded by Mr. Westra, and unanimouslys
VOTED: To accept the Secretary's Report for the meeting of February il,
1980, copies of which had previously been mailed to all members.
The Chairman thereupon declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
Upon a motion made by Mr. Dempster and seconded by Mr. Westra, it was
unanimously:
VOTED: To approve and pay checks and bills, a list of which is attached
hereto and made a part of these Minutes, in the amount of $12,117.32 for 667-C.
The Chairman thereupon declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
Mrs. Pierce reported that if all of the above bills were to be paid, t ere
would be a deficit balance in the BayBank Checking Account of $5,667.75. Ther:-
fore, upon a motion made by Mr. Johnson and seconded by Mr. Dempster, it was
unanimously:
1.
VOTED: To withdraw $6,000 from the M.M.D.T. account to meet current
(W expenses.
The Chairman thereupon declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.'
At this time, Mrs. Pierce called to the Board's attention, a Memorandum'
from E.O.C.D. in which they discussed Advance Funding of Operating Subsidy. They
advised that House Bill No. 35, "An Act to Permit Advance Funding of Deficiencies
in the Budgets of Housing Authorities" was signed into General Law on November 1,
1979. Briefly, it means that as of April 1, 1980, payments will be made to local
housing authorities at the commencement of each calendar quarter. The amoun of
quarterly advancement will be determined by alculating 20% of the approved ount
of operating subsidy in the annual operating Budget. At the conclusion of t e
fiscal year, a comparison will be made by the Department which will compare he
operating subsidy forwarded to the Authority's actual deficit for the same 'od.
Any over or under payments will be adjusted during the next fiscal year.
The results of this action, of course, will be the elimination of with -
drarwals from savings, as voted upon above, to meet current expenditures, and
is a step long time in coming, but greatly appreciated by all housing authorities.
Further, on the Financial Report, Mrs. Pierce stated that as of the to
of this meeting, the balance in the M.M.D.T. account was $28,681.09. During the
month, she had withdrawn $3,650 from this account and deposited it into the new
Modernization checking account at the BayBank to cover architectual fees for
the upcoming Project. This amount was stipulated by E.O.C.D. to be taken from
Capital Reserve towards Envirodesign's $3,900 fee, the balance of $250 to bel
�,. sent by E.O.C.D. A check in the amount of $1,755 was made out to Envirode4gn
on February 25th which represented 90% completion of his work in accordance with
the Contract.
Upon a motion made by Mr. Westra and seconded by Mr. Dempster, it was
unanimouslys
VOTED: To ratify the withdrawal of funds from the M.M.D.T. account f
Modernization payments, and also to approve a check to Envirodesign in the
mount of $1,755 for architectural fees.
The Chairman thereupon declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
It was also reported that all rents had been collected for the month
March, totalling $6,264.00. Upon a motion made by Mr. Johnson and seconded'
by Mr. Dempster, it was unanimouslys
Vas To accept the Financial Report as read.
The Chairman thereupon declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
As a follow- through from last month's meeting concerning the burglar larm
system for the Office and Maintenance areas, Mrs. Pierce advised the members that
she had obtained a bid from ADT Security Systems of Salem, Massachusetts, inithe
amount of $1,800 which was much higher than the $591 for a similar system by
(W North Fast Alarm Company. Therefore, in accordance with the vote at the February
meeting, Mrs. Pierce contbacia'd with North }cast and the alarm system has been satis-
factorily installed.
2.
(W On this same subject, Mrs. Pierce reminded the Board that the Reading
Rotary Club had donated a new color TV to the Tannerville Club to replace the
old black and white set which was taken during the last robbery. The Rotary
men had a photographer from the Chronicle come down to take their picture with',
officers of the Tannerville Club, but publication was being held up pending thje
installation of the alarm system. The Board now gave permission to release the
picture for the paper and also asked that Mrs. Pierce write a letter of apprecia-
tion to the Rotary Club for their generous contribution.
Mrs. Pierce stated that she has been approached numerous times during !,the
past months by local candidates for election seeking to distribute 21terature or
to meet with tenants to express their views. In the past, it has been a standard
policy of the Board not to allow the use of the Hall for speakers, but permis ion
has been granted to put pamphlets, etc. in the apartment building halls. Now
this is getting out of hand with some campaign workers requesting to put up
large posters for presidential candidates, and she wanted to know just where
to draw the line. Mr. Johnson stated that in the Housing Project at Somerville,
all such requests are referred to the Tenants Association and the Housing Aut c-
ity does not become involved. This seemed like a good solution to the other em-
bers, and so Mrs. Pierce was instructed to adopt the same policy in the future,
telling the candidate to call the President of the Tannerville Club and the officq
of that group can decide how to handle each request.
Next on the Agenda, was the subject of the lawsuit of Carol Wood against
the Town of Reading and the Housing Authority relative to the Section 8 Program.
Mrs. Pierce read a letter from Mr. Wagner, of Latham & Latham in which he enclosed
copies of Ms. Wood's answers to interrogatories from the Housing Authority and the
Town of Reading. Copies of these were distributed and read aloud by Mr. White.
Also, he enclosed the Plaintiff's request for the production of documents by the
Housing Authority and these were reviewed, item by item. Mrs. Pierce said that
many of the documents requested were able to be photostated and delivered to
Mr. Wagner's office, but the volume of the general files did not make it prac-
tical to copy and anything Mr. Manoff (Ms. Wood's attorney) wishes to view co d
be made available to him at the Authority's office. The Board did not feel t t
Mr. Manoff's request to see tenant and applicant folders should be granted i -
much as it would caWli ct with the privacy law. The Board did instruct Mrs. Pi rce
to gather together all the information she could for Mr. Wagner with the Board. s
comments on each item.
Briefly, Mrs. Pierce advised the Board that the TV interference reported
at last month's meeting was still a problem and the Engineer at the Municipal
Light Dept. had still not sent anyone over to give us some assistance on it.
Mr. Westra suggested that she contact Mr. Rhinerson, the Department's Manager,
directly for his help in solving this annoying problem.
There being no further business to come before the meeting, and upon a
motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting,
The Chairman thereupon declared the meeting adjourned at 9 :30 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
(W
Janet ;Pierce, Executive Director and
Secretary
3•
TOWN OF READING
To Town Clerk
16 Lowell Street
Sing, Ma., 01867
19
In accordance with the provisions of Chapter 39, of the General Laws as amended
a meeting of
will be held
on the following date /s
for the purpose of
Posted
(Location)
Time:
Time:
W
,ck No.
2205
2206
2207
2208
2209
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22
2
1221
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A
READING HOUSING AWHORITY
CHECKS AND BILLS
Account
James L. Muise - (ratify only - already signed)
of a u it of U a
ti to N
F. Janet Pierce
Mahlon D. Crouse
F. Janet Fierce (Sect. 8 quarterly salary)
U. S. Trust Co. (deferred Comp. - JP & JM)
BayBank Middlesex - (Fed. Inc. Tax Athheld)
Town of Reading Contr. Retirement Fund
Comm. of Mass - Group Ins. Comm. - (JLM)
Reading Municipal Light Dept.
Town Collector (water & sewer bills)
D & J Repair (two refrigerators repaired)
Mass. Sanitary Supply Co. (floor supplies)
Business Copy Associates (copier supplies)
Reading Lumber Co. (replacement office door)
Johnson Farm Supply Co.
Chipman Shade Co. - (replacement shades, Bldg. 4-8)
James L. Muise (overtime for Feb.)
Y. Canelas Co. (garbage collection)
Petty Cash
New England Telephone
Reading Disposal, Inc.
North East Alarm Co. (installation of burlar alarm
system)
Date of Inv.
3/7/80
3/14/8o
3/21/80
3/28/80
2/29/80
2/29/80
3/31/80
3/10/80
2/29/80
2/29/80
3/31/80
2/21/80
2/22/80
2/12/80
2/11/80
2/20/80
2/11/80
4/25/80
2/20/80
2/29/80
2/29/80
3/10/80
2/16/80
2/29/80
Total
3/11/80
Grand Total
Amount
221.03
221.03
221.03
197.87
379.14
240.88
188.16
180.00
287.00
143.05
23.16
6,13o.63
x,391.12
65.00
79.40
9.94
46.87
83.62
i
58.00
104.42
20.00
74.12
40.85
120. 00
11j526.32
591.00
$12,117.32